Spring



H. T. MOORE SPRING Filed Nov. 14, 1924 [RY/672507". jzaroZaZ [More Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

HAROLD TUTHILL MOORE, OF HINSDALE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T TUTHILL SPRING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SPRING.

Application filed November 14, 1924.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HAROLD TUTHILL Moonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at I-Iinsdale, in the county of Du Page and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefu1 Improvement in Springs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to leaf springs and particularly to leaf springs adapted for use in connection with vehicles. Such springs have generally been made with a center bolt fastening through perforations in all of the leaves of the spring. This bolt is used to hold the leaves together. The necessary perforations through which the bolt passes unavoidably weaken the spring. In order to avoid this, in the type of spring here illustrated each leaf has been transversely creased or bent at its center so that the leaves do not shift longitudinally with relation to each other and so that they do not require any perforation, and are therefore not weakened. This tvpe of spring is not new in the present application but the improvement which forms the basis of this application is particularly. although not exclusively, applicable to that type of spring.

.Vhere springs are made without a center bolt, for the purpose of holding them together, for shipment. it has been customary to put some sort of a metal plate above and below the springs at its center, and fasten these two plates together with bolts. Then when the spring is shipped it does not come apart, and when put in place on certain vehicles the bolts are removed, and one or both of the fastening plates to which the bolts were attached is also removed and the spring put in place.

Where the spring is to be put in place in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, it is found that when the holding bolts are removed preparatory to putting the spring in place, it is awkward and difficult to hold the spring leaves in l proper relation while they are slipped into the cavity which is adapted to receive them;

and therefore it has been found desirable.

are slipped into position and which still is I small enough so that it also may go into the Serial No. 749,820.

receiving cavity with the spring. The device for accomplishing this forms the basis of the present application.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, wherein: p

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the assembly showing my spring in place; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portionof the spring ready to be attached to the vehicle;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the holding bolts in place and the spring in condition for shipping; Figure 4 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing the lower holding plate.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the upper holding plate.

Like parts are designated by like. characters throughout.

A is a vehicle axle having a spring perch A Above the axle A and supported from it by a spring is a vehicle generally designated by the letter B. Transversely extending from this vehicle B is a spring receiving and body supporting member C. In the form here shown this member is a channel member. The cavity within it is substantially the same width as the spring it is adapted to receive.

D is a leaf spring made up of a plurality of leaves. each of which is provided at its center with a transversely extending bent portion D Lying on one side of the spring is a metal plate E. This plate is provided with a downwardly extending enlargement E which fits into the depression formed in the upper spring leaf by means of a bent portion D In the outer face of the member E is an upwardly projecting pin F1 This pin is usually seated in a corresponding depression in the spring receiving member, for example in the form hereshown, it is seated in a depression in the channel member C, beneath the center of the vehicle.

Surrounding the spring and the member E and holding the spring leaves together are two retaining members F. These parts are preferably made of thin strap metal and their thickness is such. that the spring may be slipped into the normal recelvlng cavity without removal of these members.

Thus the spring may be treated as a unit and handled with the same ease as an ordinary spring which is bolted by a central bolt extending through a perforation.

In Figure 3 the spring is shown in condition for shipment. Over the member E a laterally extending clamp G is placed and on the opposite side of the spring a laterally extending plate H is placed. These are fastened together either by a U-bolt, or in the form here shown by a pair of side bolts H hen the spring is to be fastened in place these side bolts and the upper clamping plate are removed. The lower plate may be removed or it may be retained. The plate H may be provided with a bottom opening H and has laterally extending perforated ears H adapted to receive the side bolts H Wh'enthe spring is vto be used, it is inserted in the proper spring receiving fittin in the form shown in Figure 1 for example in the channel C. The pin in the member E fits in the cavity normally provided for it, and some form of bolt attachment is fastened through the lower plate H, and so the spring is held in position.

In the form illustrated herewith the bolt is a modified U-bolt T havingtwo upper vice, still it will be obvious that many changes might be made in size shape and arrangement of parts without departing materially from the spirit of the invention.

It will be understood particularly that my invention is not limited to a type of spring in which the leaves are provided with the bentportions D any other mating irregularity in the spring leaves might be used to provide for their proper alignment and positioning without the use of perforations through the spring, and bolt or rivet lying within the perforations.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: I

The spring is made and the leaves assembled. The strap metal holding rings are put in position about the spring, holding its leavestogether and holding the upper pin carrying plate in position. The upper and lower clamp plates G and H are used when the s 3rin is not in alace tohold it securely together .until it is about to be put in place on the vehicle. below the spring and are fastened together by means of bolts, as shown. These are for the purpose of holding the parts together in shipment.

lVhen the spring is to be put in place on the vehicle the holding bolts are removed and one or both of the platesto which they are attached is removed. The spring is then inserted in the spring receiving fitting on They are. put above and.

the vehicle, and with the holding strap still in position, the necessary bolts or clips are put in place about the spring and tightened. It is then in position on the vehicle.

I claim:

1. Tn combination in a spring a plurality of imperforate leaves, placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, and means for holding the leaves together when the spring is not in operative position, said means constitutin a member siiirrounding the spring being or such size that it may remain in place on the sprin when the latter is put in position in the ntting normally adapted to receive the spring alone, said member adapted o lie within such fitting.

2. In combination in a spring a plurality of imperforate leaves, placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, and means for holding the leaves together when the spring is not in operative position, said means constituting -a thin surrounding strap and adapted to :in undisturbed on the spring when the same is put into operative posisaid st ap adapted to lie within such tion, fitting.

3. In combination in a spring a plurality of imperiorate leaves, placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating'irreg lirities, and means for holding the leaves together when the spring is not in operative position, said means including a thin surrounding metallic strap permanently mounted about the spring and being of such size that it may remain in place on the spring when the latter is put in position in the fitting normally adapted to receive the spring alone, said strap adapted to lie within such fitting.

4:. In combination in a spring a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a spring positioning member adapted to position the spring in the fitting which is de signed to receive it and means for holding said leaves and positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means adapted to remain undisturbed onthe spring when the same is put into operative position, and to lie within such fitting.

5. In combination in a springa plurality of imperforate leaves placed together, and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a spring positioning member adaptedto position the spring in the fitting which is designated to receive it, and means for holding the leaves and said positioning member together when the 'spring is not in operative position, SfilCl1118311COI1St1l11t111g a member surrounding the spring, being of such size that it may remain in place on the spring when the latter is put in position in the fitting normally adapted to receive the sprmg and to lie within such fitting.

6. In combination in a spring a plurality ofimperforate leaves placed together and provided in their engaging surfaces w th mating irregularities, in combination wlth a spring positioning member adapted to position the spring in the-fitting which is designed to receive it and means for holding said positioning member and the leaves together when the spring is not in operative position, said means constituting a thin surrounding strap and adapted to remain undisturbed on the spring when the same is put into operative position, said strap lying within such fitting when the spring is in operative position.

7. In combination in a spring a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a spring positioning member adapted to position the spring in the fitting which is designed to receive it and means for holding said leaves and positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means including a thin surrounding metallic strap permanently mounted about the spring and being of such size that it may remain in place on the spring when the latter is put in position in the fitting normally adapted to receive the spring alone, said strap lying within such fitting when the spring is in operative position.

8. In combination in a spring a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a spring positioning member adapted to position the spring in the fitting which is de signed to receive it and means for holding said leaves and positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means constituting a pair of members surrounding the spring being of such size that they may remain in place on the spring when the latter is put in position in the fitting normally adapted to receive the spring alone, such members lying within the fitting when the spring is in place.

9. As a new article of manufacture a spring including in combination a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a positioning member adapted to position the spring in the fitting which is adapted to receive it, and means for holding the leaves and said positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means including a member adapted to remain undisturbed on the spring when the same is put into operative position, and to lie within the fitting at that' time, and additional members surrounding the spring and adapted to bepartially removed when the spring is put in operative position. Q 7

a 10. As a new article of-manufacture a spring including in combination a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a positioning member adapted to position the spring .in the fitting which is adapted to receive it, and means for holding the leaves and said positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means including a member adapted to remain undisturbed on the spring when the same is put into operative position, and to lie within the fitting at that time, and additional members surrounding the spring and adapted to be removed when the spring is put in operative position.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a spring including in combination a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a positioning member adapted to position the spring in the fitting which is adapted to receive it, and means for holding the leaves and said positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means including members adapted to remain undisturbed on the spring when the same is put into operative position, and an engaging plate above and be low said spring and means for holding the two together, one of said plates and said holding means adapted to be removed when the spring is placed in operative position.

12. As a new article of manufacture a spring including in combination a plurality of imperforate leaves placed together and provided on their engaging surfaces with mating irregularities, in combination with a positioning member adapted to position the spring in the fitting which is adapted to receive it, and means for holding. the leaves and said positioning member together when the spring is not in operative position, said means including members adapted to remain undisturbed on the spring when the same is put into operative position, and an engaging plate above and below said spring and means for holding the two together, said plates and said holding means adapted to be removed when the spring is placed in operative position.

13. In combination in a spring a plurality of imperforate leaves. means for holding the leaves in proper alignment when fixed in a vehicle, said means including an irregularity in the surface of each leaf whereby it mates with adjacent leaves, and means for holding the leaves together when the spring is not in position, said means including athin strap surrounding and fastening the leaves together, the size of said strap being such that it may remain in place on the spring when th latter is putin position in the vehicle in the fitting normally adapted to rece-ivethe spring alone, said strap adapted to lie Within such fitting When the spring is in place.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and 10 State of Illinois, this 11thv day of November,

HAROLD TUTHILL MOORE. 

